My colleague has just started her MBA studies. One of her first assignment was to ask some heavy question from co-workers like: What does it take to be an effective leader?
Well, I have answered
An effective leader has to be effective. First and foremost. If a leader is not able to manage himself/herself how do you expect him/her to manage others? If this criteria has been fulfilled that is the only time to move further. (I have to stop here for a second, because this still means nothing. We saw many consulting companies e.g Big 4, where the “expert” who is very knowledgeable at his own field, but has no clue about management skills, is promoted to be manager. And he/she has no clue how to lead others. Meanwhile some guys, who are not that 100% about knowing some stupid tax laws, but having excellent organizational skills, are dropped from the chance to be raised on the food chain… Look at my CV, and you know by now why I was with E&Y only for 2 years…)
The 21st century leader is far more than a decision maker. The leader needs to show example not only for the present but the future as well, Being a dreamer and visionary and able to show the path for its colleagues, it’s the only way to go. During our times, visionary leadership can make somebody far more effective than others, not dealing with business hysteria and wrongly taken consequences of the un educated mass and media, but looking for options and solutions to create opportunities. The effective leader communicates swift, honest (but political) and exact opinions, to all its stakeholders.
The other question she has asked was the following:
– What are the reasons that some leaders are more successful than others?
Pure luck! And a little bit of determination.
The famous economist – Hungarian born – Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi called “flow” that status when you are in a situation and you just move along, whether its work or pleasure, not counting working hours and you feel happy, or like feel like flying in the sky. Reaching the “flow” situation is also part of being more successful than others. When you feel more comfortable in a situation, you do better, when you believe in whatever you do, you do better.
Luck is also a factor, sometimes you just don’t get lucky. Born in West Africa, fight over the malaria, local warlords, drogs and HIV AIDS, living under USD 1 / day makes you less competitive to be the CEO of Coca Cola. If you born lucky to the western part of the world, it’s your decision to be a leader and what kind of. You still need luck where to go, who to work with and luck to get that opportunity what somewhere lies in between the line of being successful and not. Luck is also what I call keep many stick on fire: more chance that one of them will catch on fire.
Determination and motivation is also a key element all over this. If you are determined to move your goals further, your have the right set of skills, right set of colleagues and some financials you can only blame yourself in the end of the day if you not make it.
Success is a relative status. It could come quick and go quick as well. Success should be part of your life, if you are not successful at home, whatever you get during working hours will not mean anything on Xmas eve.
Determination, motivation and reaching the “flow” could make you more successful than others, but you still need a bit of luck to it!